The inscription in Jahangir’s hand on the inner border of this painting states that it is a portrait of Mulla Muhammad Bijapuri, probably the emissary sent by Ibrahim 'Adil Shah II to ask for assistance from the Mughals against his rival Malik Ambar of Ahmadnagar. Hashim was a Deccani painter specializing portraits who moved to the Mughal court ca. 1620. While his use of strong contours and choice of color palette remained constant, under Jahangir’s direction Hashim’s rendering of facial features evolved dramatically.